As she lunged, I leapt up and twisted, landing on her back. I wound my legs around her in a feline move and clamped my jaws tight against her neck. She tried to buck me off, romping and flailing around the room like a bronco. When she staggered and toppled over onto her side, I quickly freed her neck and flipped her onto her back, using all my weight as leverage. I locked my mouth over her throat again and growled. Christine wiggled and fought against my hold. I clamped down more. Her skin gave way and my teeth sank in. Blood poured into my mouth and out onto the carpet.
Christine whined and stopped struggling.
Warmth radiated through my body. I’d won! And as a wolf. It had been a long time since I’d trusted this form to do anything besides act as a bloodhound. Dominance asserted, I shifted back to human and stood up. I felt ultra-awake, rejuvenated. Pumped.
Mel smiled and punched me in the arm. Her throwing form was horrible and it must’ve hurt her hand, because she shook it out by her side. A few others, like Jess smiled. The others viewed me with blank expressions, withholding judgment. I’d take that over open hostility.
John had a black eye. When our eyes met, he grimaced. How’d he get that? I’d hit his legs, not his face.
I clambered back into my clothes and then found Wick in the crowd. He smiled, rubbing red knuckles. “We need to talk,” I said to him.
He nodded and turned to the pack. “Meeting’s over. Help Christine and clean up.”
Wick’s feet hit the steps hard as he stalked after me.
****
Not waiting for Wick to enter his room completely, I spun around and flung my hands up. “I’m not your alpha female!”
Wick took his time shutting the door behind him. Probably hoping I would calm down by the time he turned to face me. “Your success at dominating Christine would suggest otherwise.”
“I didn’t exactly have a choice.”
“You could have submitted.”
I gave Wick a flat stare so he’d understand how unlikely that was. “I don’t want the position. Christine can go on being the alpha female for all I care.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Usually the alpha female and the alpha male mate, Andy. Are you saying you don’t care if that happens? It wouldn’t bother you if I took Christine to my bed?”
A sudden pain stabbed my heart and robbed me of breath. I couldn’t speak. Wick stepped closer.
“If I put my hands on her like this.” He ran his palms up my arms to cradle my face. “Or kissed her, like this?” His lips were soft and supple. Gently he worked his mouth on mine. I moaned and opened to him. His tongue slipped inside. Lost in his sensual kiss, I twined my arms around his neck, clutched his hair and drew him closer.
Sucking my bottom lip, Wick withdrew as gently as he started. “You wouldn’t care?”
“Ugh,” I managed. “Shut up. More kissing.” I drew his head back down to mine.
Silently, Wick went back to his task of kissing me as if he possessed an owner’s manual I never knew existed. My lips were already swollen and my skin ached for his touch. Wick hoisted me up and I wrapped my legs around him. His hands grasped my ass as he dragged his teeth across my bottom lip and moved his mouth like a caress down my neck.
My wolf rose up to meet his and I beat her down. I didn’t want her to interrupt the wondrous sensations zinging throughout my body. Wick lay me down on his bed and smiled. “This is where I want you,” he said. “This is how I see you in my dreams.”
Before I could comment or move, he lunged onto the bed and caged me in with his forearms. I wanted to feel the weight of him on me. I pulled him down, or at least tried to. He smiled against my skin, kissed down to my shirt collar and refused to lower his body. He held his weight off me in a super plank and I hated it. I wanted his warmth.
He did something exquisite with his tongue on the sensitive skin at the base of my neck. My head snapped back to revel in the feeling as I gripped his back. A sharp ripping sound marked the end of my shirt—I didn’t like it anyway. The scent of musky coconut filled the air, from me, from Wick. Wow. I wanted him. Wick flung something out of his way. When his hot mouth enclosed my nipple I realized he’d ripped off my bra. I didn’t like that article of clothing either.
Wanting his lips back on mine, I grabbed Wick’s head and pulled him up. His eyes were yellow. His wolf was at the surface—the sight intoxicating. A soft moan escaped my lips when Wick lowered his body onto mine and the hard ridge of his erection dug into me through his pants. He readjusted for a better alignment and slowly rubbed against my moist panties. Hang on. Where did my sweats go?